Care students send aid to families in need in the Philippines

14/01/2014

Caring students from Coleg y Cymoedd Ystrad Mynach campus have raised over £600 as well as donating essential aid supplies including donations of clothes and toiletries. The student’s generous contribution will play an important part in the supplies being sent out to the Philippines. The Filipino Society in South Wales will send supplies out to the country to help with rehabilitation projects. The money raised from the fundraising activities carried out by students will be put towards the cost of a container to ship out all the supplies.

The students who are studying Childcare and Health and Social Care courses were visited by Chairperson Evelyn Morgan, Vice Chairperson Theodore Arriola, Secretary Len Viajar, Treasurer Arlene Barron, and Fund Raising Co-ordinator Felma Arriola, all from the Filipino Society in South Wales. They personally thanked the students for all their hard work in raising such a large sum of money.

During the visit, the students interviewed the Chairperson and learnt more about the issues families were facing in the Philippines and the difference their contributions would make to the country following the devastatingTyphoon in November that has affected nearly 13 million people. Students said that they “did not realise how bad the devastation was until the Chairperson told them that her family had been running for their lives”.

Tutor Karen Stratford-Davies said “the hard work and kindness shown by students in raising such a large amount of money is very heart-warming especially at this time of year when Christmas is nearly upon us”. Other Tutors Gill Tyler and Sharon Reed both vowed to undertake additional fund raising activities next year with students because aid will be required for quite some time.

The day came to a close with the Filipino Society Wales singing a traditional song in their language of Tagalog. Students were given the words on and attempted to join in. Evelyn Morgan, Chairperson of the Philippines Society in South Wales said “we are all overwhelmed by the warm welcome we have received today by staff and students. We expected to be shown into an office and just given a cheque. We are all very grateful for the donation which will make such a difference to children and families in the Philippines”.